The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-29
THE BOOMING NORTHWEST.
LITTLE TOWNS WITH BIG OPERA
HOUSES AND ELECTRTC LIGHTS.

| A Real uth-Treueudeus Minneapolis
and g. Faui-Rsiiresds and Ceai-shaii
| we Got Mixed Up with the Canaaisnse
| When Mr.. Depew forgot himself long
enough to permit an inadvertent remark In
| the presence OF reporter, who appears to
have been In sympathy with the land bears. he
| touched upon subject OF great interest at tho
West. We have many more acres than people
In the older States Of the Union; and In tho
new States and Territories they have some
times moro quarter sections than people.
Land literally goes begging out West. but, like
oil beRgars when mounted, II 10 capable OF
| riding to q catastrophe.
| The chief, or at least the most demonstra-
| tive, seat Of the land boom In the Northwest at
present is Duluth. This Ia tho Same Duluth
which during so many years figured in Con-
gress and elsewhere as q paper city. But it
has recently begun to be G little moro objective
in brick and mortar, and expects to become
| the Chicago Of Lake Superior. 1t boasts Of
having received half as much grain In q single
month recently as Chicago received during tho
| entire season. This was q notable achieve
ment for city situated upon the borders OF q
lake which only as yesterday might have been
made the subject for parody on the line in
"Thanatopsls" which refers to the solitudes of
the Oregon. As might be expected on such en-
couraging symptoms, everything In Duluth Is
being undertaken on grand scale. and the in
evitable accompaniment Of all phenomenal
progress. inflated land values, is wit
nossed. Land at 5000 foot is low price
in the new city Two or three times that sum
Is only a medium valuation: and In especially
choice locations It has been known to bring
$1,000 foot. The city has already seven grain
elevators. with an average storage capacity OF
moro than 81. ZOO. 900 bushels, or 100000 in ALL
Tho banking capital reaches s1500,000. divid-
ed among six banks, and there is Board OF
Trade which boasts building erected at cost
Of 100000. Duluth has also a 100000 opera
theatricai entertainment and 10000 invested
in five school buildings: There is blast fur,
mace With capacity Of thirty tons day, and an,
but too numerous to mention. Yet the esti-
n mates ties ON population range only from 259p to
s0 Is somethi hst to Be- achieved. m "
III Sss.Ssln S6ssS 4sRan
might DISPUTE ths claim: But Duluth d. stands s
railway line surveyed TO Winnipeg. nearly 300
miles away in northwestern direction, where
sofa and Wisconsin. 1t vim g seen, therefore.
turn the head Of any real estate ,spe,culat Tor
| who becomes stranded in the neighbOrhood.
e The
much less potent factors IA the growth Of cities
when Chicago was young than they are to-day.
apois and St. Paul reached By a branch line.
Pacific f i road than Duluth, and they are not
above combining the contempt which they feel
for each other. and expressing It IN no meas
| young rival on tho lake. But they. too, must
eventually find themselves only way stations.
Duluth that tho day is yet distant, though 1t is
coming with the moro dense population OF the
when railway can be
In Justice 70 the people Of Duluth, however.
tirely on the advantages to be derived from
their connection with the Northern Pacific
Of rich mining region whsre iron and copper
abound, and they offer central point for both
shipment and manufacture. The ,rermillion
borhood. and all around the head waters Of
Lake Superior Il the country IL known to be rich
Hso1ss liz IA ie es 9 sr sse
may develop the Carnegles and Krupps.
with D auth BY ss trdse liz the i Two supe-
detestably inflated name for u town OF, city.
Tho first buildings wero constructed in West
bs In d 5ss hs il gder
little larger, and containing. few more
modern improvements than its companion
eastward, on the southern shore o.. the lake,
With sheltered barber is the b before eIG
had it NOT bean eaea ae0 Ashand
This is also a terminus of the Northern Pacific
road. and Its chief apparent disability lies in
| the fact that when the cars have reached Du-
!uth there ts no occasion for their going any
further. These four towns form the MUCOUS Of
baeth e9peets to Be The e ehe ' Wo ri in
| one direction they have managed to inspire q
sa shs Mh d Is Taou
will be seriously hurt;
appointed. The growth Of the country along
the limo Of the Northern Pacific road is almost
aEs sae 81
Diary OF Washington Territory, principally in
Dakota and Montana, there aro already about
ro 10Y up to $685. nsay ali the
OF the last four or FIVE years. They are no Wild
their electric lights and opera houses, their
ines churches. and large hotels. Helena, for
National Sanks VIII ndiVidual deUostors
to the amount Of $s so an opera house ,e
nswspapers; But this is in the mining region
wh sr,9, e, much IN the way OF wealth. libsrallty.
y S0 ahe be- & the o
pakotas" lies Fargo, a town also Fl 10000 in
| habitants situated on the Red River. The
enumeration OF its improvements is. some
| thing startling. 1t may be begun with the
statement that there are three public halls, an
| opera house, theatre, and new Court
twenty-eight hotels twelve churches, four
eral monthly publications. After this, II, an
order OF sequence which, perhaps. should be
reversed. come two school buildings. one con-
| structed at q cost of $4,000. There are $50
stores several factories, gas and water works,
street railways, and electric lights. Fargo, it
will be seen. like Duluth, is TO have its Inn
pr%9yements first and its population apIterwaErl.
Paul has been two broadly hearaided to need
repeating. The two cities combined are rush
ing rapidly after Chicago in their total Of
population, claiming already more than 100000
inhabitants, and constructing more new build
ings in q year than the great city Of the lakes.
The cause Of this rapid growth at the North
west is broadly understood to lie in the com
petion OF the Northern Pacific Railroad This
Is without doubt the main cause, and were the
road not constructed we should still be fight
ing Indians to the very eastern boundaries OF
Dakota But there are other causes sonnet ines
secondary to the road, and sometimes almost
independent of It's existence. Among tho
secondary causes is the discovery OF coll along
the route In sufficient quantities to render hat